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Andrew Barclay Sons
Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. are a builder of steam and later fireless and diesel locomotives. The company's history dates to foundation of an engineering workshop in 1840 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. After a long period of operation the company was acquired by the Hunslet group in 1972 and renamed Hunslet-Barclay; in 2007 the company changed hands after banckrupcy becoming Brush-Barclay as part of the FKI Group. In 2011 Brush Traction and Brush-Barclay were acquired from FKI by Wabtec - as of 2012 the company still operates in Kilmarock providing rail engineering services as Wabtec Rail Scotland. History Born in 1814, Andrew Barclay was only 25 years of age when he set up a partnership with Thomas McCulloch in the manufacturer of mill shafts in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. It was only a couple of years later that he branched out on his own in the manufacture of his patented gas lamps. In 1847 he set up workshops specialising in the manufacture of winding engines for the local coal mining industry, however the money from the gas lamp patent sale was never paid and the company and sequestration came the following year. By 1859 Barclay recovered from this setback and his newly formed company produced its first locomotive. Sometime around 1871 Andrew Barclay set up a second locomotive building business which was known as Barclays & Co., for his younger brother, John, and his four sons, this business remaining closely associated with that of Andrew Barclay. Again not all went well and the companies were declared bankrupt in 1874 and 1882 respectively. Four years after this last collapse Andrew Barclay’s business was relaunched as Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., Barclays & Co was being revived. Problems were not over, however, but in 1892 the firm took on limited liability as Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., Ltd. Just two years later Andrew was removed from control of the company which bore his name by its shareholders. Barclay sued the company for unpaid wages, a matter which was settled out of court 5 years later. In 1930 the company bought the business of John Cochrane (Barrhead) Ltd, engine makers and in 1963 it acquired the goodwill of the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow. Hunslet-Barclay In 1972 the company was acquired by the Leeds-based Hunslet Group of companies and its name was changed in 1989 to Hunslet-Barclay Ltd. As such, it operated six ex-British Rail Class 20 diesels on weedkilling trains over the national rail network. The locomotive interests of Hunslet-Barclay were bought by LH Group, Staffordshire, 31 December 2003, with Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock continuing in the business of design, manufacture and refurbishment of multiple units, rolling stock, bogies and wheelsets. Some Barclay locomotives were supplied through Lennox Lange, who acted as an agent for Barclay. Brush-Barclay After going into financial administration in 2007 the company was acquired by the loco builder Brush Traction of Loughborough via its parent FKI Group. and was renamed Brush-Barclay. Wabtec Rail Scotland On 28 February 2011, Wabtec announced that it had acquired Brush Traction for US$31 million. The Kilmarnock works became Wabtec Rail Scotland. Products colliery in Scotland]] Saddle tanks The company was noted for constructing simple robust locomotives, chiefly for industrial use, and many of its products survive in use on heritage railways, over 100 in Britain. A typical product would be an 0-4-0 with squared-off saddle tank. Fireless locomotives Barclay was the largest builder of fireless locomotives in Britain, building 114 of them between 1913 and 1961. Few fireless locomotives are seen in action today. This is due to the low power of the locomotives, the long time needed to charge a locomotive from cold and the low steam pressures available for charging. Perhaps the only exception was "Lord Ashfield" (Andrew Barclay works no. 1989 of 1930) at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester that ran for a while in the 1990s sharing a steam supply with the stationary exhibits in their exhibition hall. Diesel locomotives The company built diesel shunting locomotives for industry and for British Rail. Classes included British Rail Class D2/5, British Rail Class 01 and British Rail Class 06. Export Over 80 Andrew Barclay locomotives were supplied to railways in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin,June, 1984, pp121-136 See also *Grant, Ritchie and Company - In 1876, there was a disastrous fire at Andrew Barclay’s Caledonia works in Kilmarnock. At this point, two employees Thomas Grant and William Ritchie, set up Grant, Ritchie and Company at Townholme Engine Works, Kilmarnock to manufacture steam locomotives. References Further reading * * External links * Fireless Locomotives * No.1578 Gertrude Category:Companies founded in 1840 Category:Companies of Scotland Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Locomotive manufacturers of the United Kingdom Category:Andrew Barclay Sons and Company Category:Kilmarnock